Rating: 
Summary: For every man, boy, teenager, son and father
Review: First, it is very important for a male to acknowledge he has masculine "identity issues," moreso than any female, who (in one stage at least, that of maiden) has her monthly cycle as an affirmation of her sexual identity. Second, he must also recognize the rituals and ceremonies that are performed cross-culturally during puberty as an initiation of the boyhood-to-manhood transition, most importantly along with one's own father or a male role model. Circumcision is one, along with certain Native American rites of him hanging by his hooked chest in the sun until he pulls the hooks out. The male, unlike the female, needs his psyche to be shocked with the impression of maturity, and coming into his own, separate from the mimicked father figure, and at the same time away from the mother (Oedipus complex, as opposed to the woman's Elektra complex). It may not come simply from one act alone, should it be insufficient. Sometimes these may be violent or dangerous, even life-threatening, such as hazing or Russian Roulette. I do not think that all cases of homosexuality stem from identity and mother/feminine issues - in fact, perhaps a small percentage of the homosexual population. It is a natural phenomenon which has been observed even in animals; that is perhaps my only reservation about this book. The results of incomplete masculinity can result in depression and lack of sociability, among other things described. This book also gives real-life cases as examples. Aside from the aforementioned reasons as to why there are such issues, I personally am of the opinion that it is also due to the father being away from home (traditional role of working, though it is being reduced, even reversed, or responsibilities shared equally by both parents) or no longer being with his family (divorced, deceased, absentee or broken up). The mother is perhaps with the children more often, and definitely bonds with them first and on a different level. (...)
Rating: 
Summary: Very Important book!
Review: I must say that I found this book VERY important in my own life. It is almost chilling in it's description of the crisis in masculine identity. At times I have found this book difficult to read simply because it gets so deep it is almost scary.... Indeed, this book has been so transforming and thought provoking for me that I am only half way through it and have had to put it down and take a break. I highly recommend this book to anyone interesting in coming to terms with the current crisis in masculine identity. Although it has at times been difficult to read, because of this book I now feel much more centered and at peace with my masculinity than ever before.
Rating: 
Summary: It may be a trigger, otherwise very shallow
Review: If you are in search of aknowledgement for the way you feel, read it. It may trigger you to set you on a path of further development. This 'trigger function' is about the only value of the book. If you are on a path and have done some work on yourself already, it's a waste of money and time. Hypothesis is stacked upon hypothesis, no sound argumentation is given, it creates confusion and fails to give directions for possible solutions. In one word: shallow. And (being a copywriter myself) I must say: research and writing is very poor. PS: I opted for no star, but one is the minimum.
Rating:
Summary: acknowledges emotions but offers no solid help
Review: The books talks about a wide range of emotions and consequences of inadequate fathering, most of which overlook cultural differences. Arguments are based on hypothesis and are for the most part arguable. He treats Homosexuality as on one end of the acceptable sexual behavior scale. I do not recommend it to Christian men. It is clear that the author has a very shallow and distorted understanding of the Bible too. It creates more confusion by suggesting too many reasons for certain behaviors. If you are a Christian male in search for your identity as a man, don't waste your time, energy and money looking for answers in this book.
Rating:
Summary: The book I'd been looking for all my life
Review: The picture on the cover of this book illustrates exactly how I have felt my whole life. This book has been a great help to me for years, and I wonder why more books like this aren't available; I had searched and searched for that book that described exactly what I was experiencing and how to heal from it, and I had all but given up, concluding that such a book had not been written and that no one else had ever experienced what I have. As "fate" would have it, I would soon stumble across ABSENT FATHERS, LOST SONS. I felt vindicated. I have found other books that have been very helpful for me, but this book feels as though it were written specifically for me. And since others have found this book helpful, I realize that I in fact am not alone in what I have experienced. Guy Corneau has noticed what I have: he opens by saying that males in general have more developmental problems than women, and therefore it is puzzling that more is not being done to help men. Corneau argues that all men live in a kind of hereditary silence and that we fear that any man who speaks out about pain is a threat to male solidarity. The result of not speaking out is that men suffer alone and in silence, and the pain gets channeled in other directions; as Corneau points out, men far outnumber women in the prison systems. Corneau argues that for a man "to not have a father is to not have a backbone," and that the resulting lack of structure often results in anti-social behavior; men with absent fathers (emotionally absent will suffice) often turn to what Corgneau terms the "dark father complex," the clinging to extreme and often violence-based models of masculinity (such is the case with men who join gangs, etc.). Two things that I found very interesting: Corneau argues that men who have not felt close enough to their fathers, will often be insecure in their sexuality and this will often result in them becoming "seducers"; the logic being that if they seduce enough women, and appear in the eyes of society to be "studs," then they will make up for the emptiness and insecurity they feel from never having been "confirmed" by their fathers, i.e., never having felt that their fathers accepted them as men. Corneau says that often when a man thinks he is running low on women, he is actually running low on men. Another fascinating thing is that Corneau argues that "seducer" men are often highly sensitive men who refuse to acknowledge and accept their sensitivity. These issues are described in my favorite chapter of the book, where the author discusses the various roles men find themselves in: the Hero, the Good Boy, the Eternal Adolescent, the Male Feminist, the Seducer, and the Homosexual. Corneau takes us through each of these roles and describes them step-by-step. Corneau argues that homosexual men are often obeying the unspoken command that they should never belong to any woman but their mother. This book has been extraordinarily helpful for me for years now. I don't know where I'd be without this book. I would like to meet the author and shake his hand. ABSENT FATHERS, LOST SONS has helped me come to terms with myself, understand myself, and realize that I am not alone; many men suffer from the pain of not having felt close enough to their fathers. This book presents a somewhat revolutionary idea for this day and age: that fathers *are* important.
Rating:
Summary: One of the starting-points of my own journey
Review: This book was a real eye-opener for me. I've read the whole book in one time with tears of finaly being understand at last. It's a real eye-opener for my mother too!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent resource for any male in search of himself.
Review: This book was easy to read without too much psychological jargon, yet it offered many insights to growing up without a stable father figure. It can be very helpful in realizing the sources of many difficulties which adults may face as a result of unresolved conflicts. I highly recommend it
Rating:
Summary: The most important book in my life
Review: This book was the turning point of my life when I realized why I am who I am. It opened a window from where I was able to view my past life like never before. The rich clinical experience and the deep understanding of the patients by the author make this book invaluable to any son who had difficult relationship with his father. To the person from Europe who rated the book poorly: Isn't the Bible supposed to provide you so called Christians all the answers for anything you want? Why even bother reading any other book?
Rating:
Summary: The most important book in my life
Review: This book was the turning point of my life when I realized why I am who I am. It opened a window from where I was able to view my past life like never before. The rich clinical experience and the deep understanding of the patients by the author make this book invaluable to any son who had difficult relationship with his father. To the person from Europe who rated the book poorly: Isn't the Bible supposed to provide you so called Christians all the answers for anything you want? Why even bother reading any other book?
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: Very well written book about the problems and issues between fathers and sons. Loved it!
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